in thinking social services should help me?

[SammyFirstBaby]

So I had a flat whilst I was pregnant and I had to move as I was under social services as a leaving care person, so they put me in a mother and baby unit. Then after being there for 6 months and giving birth 3months in, a piece of history came back to haunt me so I was rushed out of area from south east london to east london. I am happy I'm here, but just expected some help. I'd already had my leaving care grant but all my furniture was taken from my flat by my old landlord as when I needed to hand him my keys, I was in "fake labour" due to liver problems and couldn't get to him and he wouldn't come and collect them. By law, he was able to do this, so I was left with nothing.
But now I'm in a one bedroom flat, with no washing machine, bed anything. I just expected them to help more, seen as it wasn't my choice to move it was more for safety for my child.
Iv tried finding charaties to help, but I'm just useless at these things.
Sorry, just needed a rant.

Here are the London provisions of welfare advice/assistance/provisions

Welfare Assistance

Sorry what's home start?

I have a cotbed my dc is about finished with and I'll probably be looking to palm it off on somebody in a few weeks. I'm nowhere near you really but would be happy to post it if it helps (and if I still have all the various screws etc).

Just realised iv bookmarked home starts number to ring monday.

Your local county council deals with local emergency support, it's replaced crisis loans etc. they should be able to help with essential furniture items. Good luck

Hi. Can you tell me where you can get £5 for a month's Internet please? That would help me.

Thanks.

Hi as a care leaver you should have a personal adviser from social services from the age of 18 until you are 21, so they should be helping you to apply for grants and signposting you to charities that can help support you . ,

Sammy Is your social worker from the Leaving Care team? Does your son have a social worker too?

And you are most certainly not a crap mum, you're going through a difficult time but you are seeking help. You sound like a great mum. Chin up. :)

Save the Children
Have a look at this, you may be eligible for a grant from them. Your HV or a SW would need to apply on your behalf.

I need a bed for me, a cot bed for my son as he's 3months old

You don't need a cot bed for your son really... I slept with my son in my (double) bed till he was about 14 months or more. So much easier with breast feeding (LP).

Sorry you are going through this, hope someone can advise you better than me.

You should contact the CAB or the Police about your furniture from your old place. I'm a lawyer and know of no laws which enable a landlord to keep a tenant's furniture. They will be able to advise you.

Exit you can buy £5 of credit on three and get a month's worth of Internet. Having worked in leaving care services there is nothing implausible about this account.

OP, you may not get any more money out of your leaving care team. The leaving care grant is discretionary and once it is paid it is paid. They can pay sundries like your pram but you won't get new furnishings paid for. What you need is to connect with a local young people's centre, they are often more of a community and will put you I touch with charities, or you might find people who can help with transporting freecycle stuff etc.

I slept with DD until she was three. Then I bought a sofa / bunk-bed thing and the living room became her bedroom. You should have somewhere to sleep and sit though and a washing machine at least.

Are SS refusing to help after giving you £200 towards a buggy? Did they insist you waste the whole amount on one item?

I was only asking as DD has just gone massively over on her bill.

try this - a christian charity, they may be able to help.

Oh ok. I thought you were being sceptical!

This very reminiscent of the eighties. My friend got pregnant aged seventeen and she got a "grant" which bought half a second-hand pram. Scared the shit out of me and the rest of my mates.

£75 over

Hope you are ok op and get some good advice from this thread.

OMG Exit, is she streaming videos from YouTube perchance? It eats the data-plan allowance! We discovered this with DD and she is banned from using it now.

You need to ring the duty social worker - they still have to provide help until you are 24.

I'm very sorry you lost £2000 worth of furniture (that's the leaving care grant part in case people don't know) and I think it's terrible that SS didn't intervene with the landlord to get your stuff and help you move.

Call the duty social worker. If your current social worker knows your circumstances then she will have left notes.

There is no reason that they won't help you and if you feel your social worker is not helping you then I suggest you complain.

Barnardos run the leaving care service local to us, they might be worth a try?

Contact your local council to apply for a Community Support Grant (CSG). This is the new name for social loans and is the new system from April this year. You will need to fill out a form and give details of what you need and your income/expenditure. In the council I work for, these are being dealt with by the Housing benefit team.

I wouldn't advise co sleeping without understanding safety guidelines. I think you should try and get a cot from some of the great sources people here are offering.